Federal Member for Greenway, Michelle Rowland MP, is encouraging local residents to join her at a morning tea celebrating Harmony Day at The Ponds Community Hub, 45 Riverbank Drive, The Ponds, from 10 – 11am on Friday 31 March.

“Harmony Day celebrates our nation’s rich multiculturalism and reminds us that everyone belongs in a diverse and inclusive Australia,” Ms Rowland said.

“I’m so thankful to represent Greenway, one of the most culturally diverse electorates in Australia, because I get to see how diversity makes our community better every day, whether it’s at a local train station or visiting businesses or schools.

“Over 55,000 Greenway residents were born overseas and almost 41,000 residents can speak a language other than English. The Harmony Day morning tea will be a wonderful opportunity for local residents to experience these different cultures, customs and traditions that comprise our community.

“At a time when the value of multiculturalism and acceptance are under question around the world, Harmony Day is an opportunity to reject talk of exclusion and fear and reinforce how multiculturalism has strengthened Australia’s economic prosperity and social cohesion,” Ms Rowland said.

Morning tea will be provided, but attendees are encouraged to bring along a traditional dish from their cultural background to share as part of the Taste of Harmony initiative, which encourages friends and colleagues to share food and stories from their different cultural backgrounds. The initiative is celebrating its eighth anniversary in 2017.